Funny Photoshop Head Swaps

Digital artists can use Photoshop to give people a makeover, or in extreme cases, to replace the entire head. Here's what happens when digital artists have fun swapping heads around.

Photoshop Head Swaps Bridge the Generation Gap
According to knowyourmeme.com, head swaps were were first thought up by Something Awful's user Ryan Adams when he started a thread called "Swap Grandparents and Babies Heads!" The thread spawned dozens of Photoshop head swapped images, most notably of fathers and their babies. These later became known as "manbabies".

Above: This image gives a new meaning the the slang term "baby daddy". Photoshop artists need to get the lighting just right to give the finished art work a convincing feel. [source]

Above: The Rowan Atkinson baby, born in Photoshop. You can call him Toby. [source]

Above: Photoshop artists need to be careful when swapping heads - outlines from cutting tools are a dead give away. [source]

Above: Photoshop can age a child in a matter of hours. That's one hairy manbaby! [source]

Above: Another funny Photoshop manbaby image. [source]

Walk a Mile in My Shoes with a Photoshop Head Swap
Photoshop head swaps aren't reserved only for babies and their parents - any two people or animals can undergo the digital surgery. Head swaps can also be used create man animal hybrids, or to create hybrid animals in which two species are combined. 

Above: Hulk Hogan gets a Photoshop head swap. Lovely nails, Hulk! [source]

Above: Hollywood's hottest couple, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt get the Photoshop head swap surgery. [source]

Above: A kid and his pet cat swap heads for an afternoon, creating a terrible toddler duo complete with sharp teeth and claws. [source]

Above: This Photoshop head swap picture is a visual definition of the phrase "pig-headed". [source]

Head swaps are one of the most popular forms of Photoshop humor art works. Although some don't quite hit the funny bone, most are bound to win a couple of giggles.



Nyan Cat Meme Fan Art

On April 2 2011, Christopher Torres uploaded a video to YouTube. The video showed a pixelated pop tart cat character that flies through space while a rainbow shoots out of its bum. The simple animation was later set to music by saraj00n, another YouTube user, and posted online on April 5 2011. The video quickly gained popularity and now has more than 70 million views.

Above: The original Nyan Cat video, featuring the "momo momo" version of the Japanese pop song, "Nyanyanyanyanyanyanyanya!" and a pixelated pop tart cat character.

Nyan Cat Fan Art
Memes start out as the inspiration for fan art works. When a character, phrase or idea becomes popular, it is shared via the internet, inspiring other people to create fan art of the popular subject. This art is then uploaded to the internet and shared online. The term "meme" refers to a media item or idea that spreads from one person to another in a viral manner.
The Nyan Cat is a prime example of a meme. The video has had tens of millions of views, yet it wasn't advertised. The popularity of the video is due to internet users sharing the video, passing it along from one viewer to the next. As the video gained popularity, artists from around the world began creating fan art works. Many of these found their way into YouTube videos of their own.

Above: Nyan Cat from Hell, an illustrated fan art work that stands in contrast to the sweet innocence of the original video. [source]

Above: A yarn art painting of the meme Nyan Cat, making it (wait for it) The Nyarn Cat. [source]

Above: This van has been pimped to be a Nyan Cat fan art work. Perhaps the pop tarts are inside? [source]

Above: A saturated digital art cartoon version of the Nyan Cat [above]

Pop Tart Cat becomes Nyan Cat
Christopher Torres originally named his character the Pop Tart Cat, but once the animation was set to music, it became known as the Nyan Cat. Torres says that he will personally continue to refer to the character as the Pop Tart Cat, but that the internet has reached a decision to call it the Nyan Cat and he's happy with that choice too.

Above: A tattoo of the Nyan Cat, complete with the pop tart and rainbow. [source]

Above: A fluffy Nyan Cat key chain that uses embroidery to add detail to the furry fleece that is used throughout the design. [source]

Above: Nyan Cat nails. This girl has used different colors of nail varnish to paint her own version of Nyan Cat onto her nails. [source]

Above: A digital artist created this photoshop painting of the Nyan Cat in the style of Vincent van Gogh's famous painting, "Starry Night." The artist calls it "Starry Nyan by Vincat Nyan Gogh" [source]

The Nyan Cat video is one of the fastest spreading viral videos on YouTube. The simple animation and cute music are endearing at first but watch out - after several hours it can be mind-numbing.



The Funny Photoshop Animal Hybrids of the Digital Zoo

Digital artists work in image editing programs like Photoshop that allow them to genetically modify photographs to create funny animal hybrids. Photo manipulation artists are the zoo keepers of the digital zoo, adding animals at whim.

Bellowing Gorilla Bird
This Photoshop artist has created the missing link. If only scientists had known that it could fly too.


Spitting Llama Dodo
The Llama Dodo is reputed to be able to survive at enormous heights above sea level, with the ability to spit and peck at its enemies.


The World's Tiniest Kitten
Foregoing years of breeding, this digital artist instead spent a few hours in Photoshop to create the world's tiniest kitten. 


Rooster Cat for a Purring Alarm Clock
It purrs, it crows, it's the rooster cat! This fluffy, feathery creature is infamous for clawing the furniture and waking you up on time.


Chick-huahua
Why did the Easter dog chirp? He was a little chicken!


Hippo Crustacean's a bit Crabby
Known for charging cars and waving it's claws around, the hippo crab is unaware that he is being bred as an African Photoshop delicacy.




Antique Versions of Modern Appliances

During the Victorian era, many new time-saving devices were designed to run on the brand-new energy source; electricity. For the first time, the world had electrical home appliances that performed menial chores faster and more efficiently than before.

The Electric Toaster, the Best Thing since Sliced Bread
Bread has been a staple food in many cultures for centuries. It is dipped in soups or used to create sandwiches. It can be crumbed, fried or used to soak up other foods such as gravy or sauces. One of the most popular ways to eat bread is to toast it and serve it with butter, jam or eggs. In the pre-electrical world, toast was created by cutting a slice of bread from the loaf and suspending it over coals or before an open flame. Although a number of toasting utensils were created, toasting bread was a fairly tricky affair that often resulted in burnt bread or singed fingers.
Early electrical toaster designs included a heating coil that gave bread an appealingly even toasting. Although this may sound safer than an open flame, antique toasters were fairly dangerous. Because there was no timing mechanism the machine wouldn't switch off without human intervention, leading to a number of small fires caused by forgotten toasters.


Above: An antique electrical toaster that was in circulation around 1910, consisting of electrical heating coils surrounded by wire baskets for holding the bread. To use this toaster, a person would have to turn the bread slices by hand. [source]

The Electric Kettle, a Boiling Point in History
Hot water has played a role in human development since time immemorial. It is used for cooking, bathing, cleaning and in the preparation of a number of products. Applying heat to water is an act that is performed countless times every day, all over the world. In our modern era, the task of boiling water is as simple as filling the kettle and flicking a switch.
Boiling water wasn't always as easy as it is today. The first electrical kettles were created in the 1890s and contained a heating element in a compartment below the kettle, meaning that huge amounts of energy were wasted in the boiling process. The first electric kettles weren't insulated and could become hot enough to burn, eliciting painful gasps from those unlucky enough to brush against it. Antique electrical kettles, like early electrical toasters, didn't switch themselves off and would boil dry without supervision. 

Above: An electric kettle, designed by Peter Behrens in 1910. This model contained a solid heating element that slides out for replacement. [source]

The Domestic History of the Electric Washing Machine
At the same time that electric kettles and electric toasters were being introduced into households, other time-saving devices were being invented. One advancement that must have caused sighs of relief for domestic workers was the electric washing machine. Before the creation of the mechanized washing process, clothing and linens were often washed by hand, either in a river or a drum of water. Those that weren't washed by hand were placed in a drum that was then turned with a handle, a tiring and time-consuming job.
The first electric washing machine was named The Thor, and was invented in 1908 by the Hurley Machine Company of Chicago. The Thor was an incredibly dangerous piece of machinery. The electric motor was situated under the open drum of water, which meant that spills often led to electrical shocks. Because the moving parts were not covered, clothing, fingers and hair could get caught in the machine. Despite the dangers, women of the age cooed with delight at The Thor, as the electric washing machine was one of the first devices that made mundane domestic chores easier.

Above: The Thor washing machine. The machine is reputed to have been so dangerous that it could scalp a person if their hair got caught in the moving parts. [source]

The History of the Iron is a Wrinkle in Time
In order to remove wrinkles from clothing and bedding, domestic workers of the 19th century would use a flatiron. This was an arrow-shaped piece of metal with a handle which was placed on hot coals or in a fire to heat, wiped to remove carbon from the metal surface and then quickly pressed against the cloth to press out wrinkles. These irons could easily ruin expensive garments or scorch the hands of the user. Because it took so long for an iron to heat up, a laundress would often have two or three irons on the go; heating irons as she worked the cloth with another iron.
The first electric iron was patented in 1882 by Henry W. Seely. He called it the "electric flatiron". It was an invention that would seem cumbersome and crude by modern standards as it took a long time to heat up, had no variable heat settings and no way to steam cloth. Essentially, it was a chunk of metal that heated up and continued to get hotter and hotter until it eventually it burned either an item of clothing or a flustered laundress. 

Above: The Seely Electric Flatiron contained no insulation on the handle, which needed to be gripped with a thick cloth to prevent the laundress from burning her hands. Like all Victorian era appliances, the Seely iron was a cause for many small (and probably a few large) fires. [source]

Many electrical appliances that we take for granted these days, such as kettles, washing machines and toasters would have been a baffling marvel of engineering and technology just a century ago. 



Funny Underwater Photographs of Dogs Swimming

Using a combination of technology and swimming skills, these photographers have captured high quality, funny images of dogs swimming. The moment where a dog dives into water is not often seen beneath the splashing water, making these photos a rare treat.

Man's Best Friend Underwater
Some dog breeds are notorious for their swimming skills, whereas others tend to shy away from water. These pictures capture the reactions of the dogs as they plunge suddenly into cold, clear water, often in the act of chasing a ball.





Funny Dog Photos
Humans tend to personify dogs, attributing them with feeling the same emotions and having the same attitudes as humans. At times, dogs can have almost-human facial expressions. Because of this, dogs are a favorite household pet, as people feel that they can empathize and connect with dogs.
Dogs lack the inhibitions of people, and will run, jump and play without feeling embarrassed or ashamed of their actions. Photos of dogs caught in a funny moment are popular online, leading to the advent of sites such as icanhascheezburger.com